Tuesday, June 2011

When We Care to Share, Wonderful Things Happen

The Care to Share Committee brings this report of a recent collaborative outreach between Waldorf schools. This year the CWS 3rd and 4th graders have been writing notes and sharing photos with their contemporaries in the McGregor Waldorf School in South Africa.

Our students took photos of themselves, their classroom and the Winter’s big snow and sent them with cards and messages to McGregor Waldorf School. Grethe, the teacher of the combined 3rd and 4th grade at McGregor has created a “Chicago Corner” in the classroom for learning and keeping in touch. Simultaneously, our 3rd and 4th grade have created a McGregor School corner filled with photos and cards.

These children are building a bridge across thousands of miles and learning there are differences in their lives but maybe they are not so different in their activities.

Drawings of swimming, soccer and bicycles came from McGregor. Photos of class house building, rondavels, with homemade clay and gardening at school are all familiar. The McGregor Waldorf School created a town parade with giant puppets built from recyclable materials. But, of course, no snow at McGregor; some things are not the same! These four grades will continue to correspond as they grow. Think of the possibilities, maybe an exchange when they are in High School?
Following the Care To Share committee’s successful fund raising at the Holiday Fair, we were able to send $2,000.00 to Grethe. She has used the funds to buy Stockmar paints—which are very expensive there—organize and help with supplies for their pottery class and the class camp, pay for the assessment of four students by an educational psychologist and they have some funds left over for a future project.
Additionally, at the request of Carol Triggiano, we were able to send funds to Pennies for Peace. Check out the information in the front hallway. As well, with the encouragement of Ileana Valencia, we sent funds to Asociacion de Mujeres del Altiplano, a project of the Highland Support Project.

During the school year the Care to Share Committee has met with teachers, staff, parents as well as the Festivals committee and the Diversity committee, laying groundwork, sharing ideas and brainstorming ideas. Be looking for fun projects next school year as we Care to Share and reach out to build a thriving international Waldorf school.